Photographing Bluebells
Spring in Britain brings bluebells to our woodlands, this bright blue flower helps make outstanding photographs. Bluebells are perfectly adapted to cope with life in the woodlands as they flower before the trees get their full cover of leaves so light levels are bright. They are not restricted to woodland, the further west in Britain you go the more abundent they become, growing on grassland, scrub and even sea cliffs.
If you don't know a local place populated by this wonderful wild flower go to the following website www.woodlandtrust.org.uk to find out where they can be found. Remember they are a protected species, so they must not be picked and be careful where you walk so as not to trample them underfoot.
When photographing bluebells there are often fewer flowers than is ideal, they are after all a small flower and there is nothing quite like the carpet of blue created when they're in abudance. When they are scattered the lens can be set to a moderate telephoto setting which will have the effect of compressing them, making the most of the available flowers.
Taking a tripod is a advisable as using a telephoto setting a small aperture will be needed to get the depth of field required. As bluebells are close to the ground unless it's a windy day, movement shouldn't be a problem and exposures up to 1/8 sec will normally produce sharp results. Closeups are a different matter with even a slight breeze producing enough movement to create blur so a faster shutter speed is a necessity.
Care should be taken if it's a sunny day with shafts of light streaking through the trees, as it's easy to clip the highlights so check the histogram or highlight warning on your camera. At the time of year when bluebells are out there are few leaves on the trees so light levels will be high. A sunny or slightly overcast day are the most suitable as the contrast will give a lift to your shots.
Bluebells are in flower in April and May, they are at their best for only a few weeks. Have a look at the photographs that follow, hopefully they will inspire you to get out with your camera to photograph bluebells in your local woodland.
